I finally got this (4 weeks from despatch to arrival in Perth) and would have to agree with the vocal majority. Tommy sounds like the tape head used for replay was misaligned, causing those weird phase effects in the vocals. I presume that JA copies the multitrack to digital, then mixes down to 2 tracks. If that is the case, the multitrack replay heads must have been out of alignment!!!
Then, this has been "corrected" with treble boost.
It is still possible that the problem lies in overuse of NoNoise - listen to the first DE version of Islands by King Crimson. Extreme NoNoise caused some odd phase shifts and bass distortion there.
Great performance however (LAL I mean, but also Islands.)

Tommy sounds like the tape head used for replay was misaligned, causing those weird phase effects in the vocals. I presume that JA copies the multitrack to digital, then mixes down to 2 tracks. If that is the case, the multitrack replay heads must have been out of alignment!!!

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did he return to the tapes for the DE?
i thought everything was copied digitally in '94/'95,as the AJ/Sparks insert in '95 sounds great.

Yes it did sound good in the 95 remix. It seems he returned to the tapes and didn't improve the sound of the Tommy disc - just the opposite.

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IIRC the 30 years box set Leeds tracks weren't decrackled/declicked,and this work was only done for the '95 1 disc version.
so he did it so right the first time....................and he chose to go back and do it again!
so somewhere in The Who's digital archive there could/should be a complete digital version of the '95 conversion,as his duties [apart from remixing and remastering] were to copy everything they had for the future,before it was too late.

I'm trying to understand what is the best Live at Leeds CD to get. Sounds like avoid the DE at all costs. And it seems like a couple years ago (?) there was some chatter about a possible SHM-SACD release but that release was cancelled, not just delayed, correct?

Is the 2008 Japanese SHM better than the DE or is it the same? Is there anything out there better or comparable to the MFSL, or does everything pale in comparison?

Thanks. I know there is a search function, I have used it, but left more confused!

The DE 1st disc and the 1995 aren't much different and sound very good. The MFSL is derived from the 1995. That's about as good as it gets for legitimate Leeds releases, IMHO.
The DE Tommy disc seriously needs to be redone to match the sound of the first disc, but since we now have the Live At Hull set, it's not as urgent a desire.

The DE 1st disc and the 1995 aren't much different and sound very good. The MFSL is derived from the 1995. That's about as good as it gets for legitimate Leeds releases, IMHO.
The DE Tommy disc seriously needs to be redone to match the sound of the first disc, but since we now have the Live At Hull set, it's not as urgent a desire.

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I still can't get behind the '95 CD with the edits and overdubs, as well as the added slap delay on the guitar in places.

And still not sure what happened with the Deluxe Edition. I have no idea what could have happened to make it sound like that.

Thanks for the feedback forumites. Just bought the MFSL...and thus concludes a week-long, quite pricey Who buying frenzy to get my collection upgraded and more complete. I ended up going with MFSL for Live at Leeds and Who Are You. The others are a combo of SHM-CD and SHM-SACD.

Thanks for the feedback forumites. Just bought the MFSL...and thus concludes a week-long, quite pricey Who buying frenzy to get my collection upgraded and more complete. I ended up going with MFSL for Live at Leeds and Who Are You. The others are a combo of SHM-CD and SHM-SACD.

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The MFSL of Live At Leeds isn't significantly different from the stock 1995 CD.

And note that while the MFSL of Who Are You arguably sounds nice, it is comprised mostly or completely of alternate mixes.

I've retained the 1995 12" version package - it was done rather nicely, as well as the DE and the Super Deluxe.

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yes,i have that gorgeous MCA LP sized box version too.
according to MCA's head man at the time [Randy Miller IIRC] all of the "main" Who albums with Moon were to be issued in similar limited edition boxes.
but i don't think the box [limited to 15,000 copies] sold very well.
but they only have themselves to blame for poor sales,as over here the '90's reissues recieved very little promotion and advertising compared to the 30 years box set and the Astley/Charlesworth compiled greatest hits.

The DE 1st disc and the 1995 aren't much different and sound very good. The MFSL is derived from the 1995. That's about as good as it gets for legitimate Leeds releases, IMHO.
The DE Tommy disc seriously needs to be redone to match the sound of the first disc, but since we now have the Live At Hull set, it's not as urgent a desire.

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I recently did a "shootout"- DE disc1 vs. the '95. I ended up liking the DE even less. Harsher overall, without the punch of the '95.